Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Samana Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Samana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $835 in Samana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,334 in Samana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,834 in Samana, rent included.

Medellin costs about 20% more than Samana, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Samana are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Samana 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.19 DOP 243

41.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$36.95 DOP 2,147

-10.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.60 DOP 442

-2.24%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.67 DOP 97.2

-1.20%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.76 DOP 43.87

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.77 DOP 44.88

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.54 DOP 147

-32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$4.30 DOP 250

-26.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.33 DOP 77.0

-17.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.89 DOP 51.7

41.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.83 DOP 48.03

66.27%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.00 DOP 116

9.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.27 DOP 364

-28.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.20 DOP 302

11.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.41 DOP 489

6.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.08 DOP 179

-24.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.93 DOP 53.9

13.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.34 DOP 78.1

13.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.57 DOP 91.3

-13.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.75 DOP 102

-35.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.75 DOP 102

-33.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.53 DOP 30.54

69.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.67 DOP 38.86

34.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.30 DOP 250

-48.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.34 DOP 485

45.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.48 DOP 144

-52.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.01 DOP 175

-17.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.83 DOP 48.07

2.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.41 DOP 198

-58.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.02 DOP 59.5

91.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.04 DOP 351

30.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.28 DOP 74.4

-22.66%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$26.3K DOP 1.5M

-33.10%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

-16.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$51.9 DOP 3,015

60.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$16.97 DOP 986

-42.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$36.25 DOP 2,107

-35.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.76 DOP 393

-41.57%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$316 COP 994.2K

$266 DOP 15.4K

18.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,990 DOP 464.3K

-25.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$59.7 DOP 3,470

0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$51.2 DOP 2,975

-37.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$97.3 DOP 5,655

4.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$114 DOP 6,633

-5.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$313 DOP 18.2K

51.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$252 DOP 14.7K

48.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$733 DOP 42.6K

15.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$534 DOP 31.1K

34.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.9

4.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Samana: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $313 in Samana. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Samana. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $192 in Samana – so Samana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Samana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,253 in Samana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $37.00 in Samana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Samana, where all-in costs run around $835, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Samana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Samana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Samana. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.